A Labor of Love

Happy Labor Day!
Image result for summer fall
Fall doesn't officially begin until September 22nd, but let's be honest, the signs of Autumn are in full swing. The pools are closed. The Buckeye Battle Cry has once again permeated the quickly cooling air. Oktoberfest and everything pumpkin are fresh on the shelves. Fantasy football drafts have concluded and we Browns fans have that weird twitch in our eye; biology's inherent warning that the poor eye's sights have once again been trumped by the brain's delusions of grandeur. Surely, an undefeated preseason could lead to a Brown's Super Bowl victory! Perhaps I read last month's blog article, Calling for a Ton of "Can", too many times (shameless plug).

 Labor Day always makes me think of the phrase "a labor of love." The infamous idiom has biblical origins, and when I was young I needed more than a prayer to understand it. Looking back, I believe my late grandmother was responsible for finally indoctrinating this doctor. Ever true to her Italian roots, life's lessons were given in the kitchen, during meal preparations and dish washing (my favorite). The three big themes were:

 1) "You don't know how lucky you are to have parents like yours," LISTEN to them
2) Work hard and when you think you can't work anymore, start really working
3) Mangia, Mangia (translation: eat up, grandson!).    


Image result for homemade ravioliOver the years, I began to understand it wasn't the homemade sauce, the hand-rolled raviolis and meatballs, or the pizzelles that were Grandma Ginny's "labor of love." They were just vehicles she used to bring joy, happiness, and even hope to others. Grandma got life, got people. She passed away in September of 2006 as I finished my first week of college in Columbus. For a woman who gave so many gifts in my life, I don't believe it's a coincidence that I also met my wife, Shannon, that same unforgettable week.


There is tremendous value in living a "labor of love." Some enjoy their labors, some more so the love they bring. Consequently, I experience both when cooking. It has become one of my main hobbies, a reprieve from the day's stresses and an oasis of nostalgia and meditation. I even feel a sense of accomplishment when cleaning the pans and sauce-splattered stove, although Shannon may disagree! 

We all have our own unique experiences that affect us down the proverbial road. Interesting how it has become commonplace to only remember (or post) the peaks or valleys and not the substantial, ever-shaping constants. I fear we are a culture moving away from labors of love. Effort and time are being forfeited for convenience and instant gratification. If you fall into the stereotype of thinking it's just Millennials, wake up and take a look in the mirror. Labeling and blaming other generations is about as effortless and instantly gratifying as it gets! And to what end?

Find a "labor of love." Seek one out. Spend time, spend effort on something meaningful to you that can also be meaningful to others. Share it. You'll be surprised where the journey might take you. Perhaps, to the kitchen or writing a blog or maybe, just maybe, your oral health will become an impactful love worth the labor.   

Image result for achieve goals

 Dr. George R. Williams is a general dentist at Williams Family Dental Group in Canton, Ohio. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Dentistry and Canton Mercy Medical Center General Practice Residency.  For questions or suggestions for blog posts, please feel free to contact him at drgrw@williamsdentalgroup.com


Visit us at williamsdentalgroup.com or our Facebook page!    

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Against All Odds: A Marathon Journey

Image
It was the worst day of my life...     Dr. George Sr. and I were having lunch at our desks on Wednesday September 20, 2017 . It was a pretty normal day, somewhat slow, sun shining and hot. Dad was on the office line when his cell rang - a call from my aunt. I eagerly picked up the phone, awaiting news of my cousin who had been in labor. The news was grave . I remember when I was small and the wind would call...    My cousin Leah and I have been joined at the hip since birth. Although she is my elder by seven months, we have always considered ourselves " twins " - fraternal of course. We spent all of our developmental years together, growing up in Canton. Nostalgia calls to mind sporting terrible outfits from OshKosh B'Gosh , climbing trees, pool days at Hall of Fame, thrills at Geauga Lake, and a myriad of precious family gatherings, including annual trips to Myrtle Beach. However, our bond really strengthened in high school and college. High school is that weird ti
Read more

WHY WE NEED WHY

Image
   In the words of Aerosmith...I'm back in the saddle again! It's good to be back after a nice summer sabbatical. I needed it (see paragraph #2).    I last left you with  "Against All Odds: A Marathon Journey."  I was incredibly humbled and grateful for the feedback, prayers, and well wishes for Leah and our family. 2,200 views from all over the world. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who read it. As an update, Leah is doing very well and she and Tony are excited to celebrate Jackson's first birthday later this month!    It's hard to believe it has been a year since,  A Labor of Love . So much as changed in one revolution around the sun. In the past twelve months, I've experienced our family tree grow with four new cousins. Our office family has also grown too! We welcomed Tori to the team as our office manager and also Lindsey's second child- Kase Frank. As is the circle of life, at 98 years, our grandfather (Jiddo) passed away. We continue to l
Read more

A Path's Way

Image
Happy New Year! Every author of every article and blog I have read in 2019 has begun their first post of the year with reflection of 2018 and anticipation of 2019. Appropriate - yes. Predictable - extremely! While important, my first post of the year will not be about diets, exercise or other resolutions. However, whatever your goals are: champion introspection, interrupt rumination, and delve into discipline.  Being a bonafide Millennial, I find perspective in the old green screen computer game  Oregon Trail . Anyone of my peers can tell you that this game taught you valuable lessons in decision-making, hardships, family life, medicine, economics, and, most importantly, following a path to pursue a dream. But let's be honest, playing a video game - at school - was the real reason we all liked it. As I recently flew above the Rocky Mountains, I thought about playing that game in grade school. I thought about those early pioneers traversing our great nation in search of a bette
Read more